Avian Influenza in Turkey

In early October 2005, Turkey reported its first ever occurrence of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The outbreak occurred in the western province of Balikesir, in a flock of turkeys. The government reacted quickly and a total of 10,147 backyard poultry were slaughtered between October 8 and October 16, 2005. Turkey declared the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza had ended on December 8, 2005.

In late December an outbreak was reported in four backyard flocks in Igdir province in eastern Turkey, near the borders with Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan. According to OIE, the actual start of the outbreak is likely to have been November 25, 2005. Outbreaks of avian influenza in backyard flocks have been reported in provinces ranging from the remote, rural eastern edge of Turkey through central Turkey and into the more urbanized western Turkey.

All poultry in the protection zone were killed and destroyed and their owners compensated. All susceptible animals in Agri and Igdir have been killed and destroyed in accordance with a decision taken by the National Disease Control Center.

On January 12, the Agriculture Ministry said that about 355,000 birds had been destroyed. Residents in southeastern Turkey have become more aware of the health problems associated with sick poultry and some have even said they will quit raising poultry. Turkey applied a quarantine for animals in 25 of Turkey’s 81 provinces. HPAI has been confirmed in 12 provinces and is suspected in an additional 13 provinces.

Many of the outbreaks have been in poor rural mountainous areas, where people breed poultry in their homes and often take them indoors during the winter. In the eastern region of Anatolia, mountains exceed 2500-3000m. Temperatures can reach -30 C to -38 C and snow may lie on the ground 120 days of the year. Winters are bitterly cold with frequent heavy snowfall and villages in the area sometimes remain isolated for several days during winter storms. Severe weather delayed a team of officials from the World Health Organization trying to reach the eastern village of Dogubayazit, in Agri Province, this month.

According to the Turkey Poultry Association, there are about 150 million birds used for commercial purposes in Turkey (120 million broilers and 30 million layers). Total sales in the broiler and egg sectors are $2.2 billion and $600 million, respectively. After the first outbreak of HPAI in October, 2005 broiler sales fell 75 percent and poultry prices fell from 2.2 YTL per kg to 1.3 YTL kg a week later. At that time, major poultry and feed trading companies indicated they planned to cut poultry production about 35-40 percent. About a ten percent reduction was expected in poultry production in CY 2006.

Georgia, Iraq, Iran and Syria to be on high alert, to apply surveillance and control measures and to ensure the public is fully informed about the avian influenza risk.

Other countries in the area are taking additional precautions. Iran closed a border crossing with Turkey and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia banned the import of Turkish poultry. Europe banned the import of poultry and feathers from all six countries bordering eastern Turkey: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Iran and Iraq. Russia tightened its borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan and urged Russians not to visit Turkey.
Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, World Organization for Animal Health, USDA/FAS, news wires

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Source: USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - 17th January 2006